DANNY Wilson insists Anthony McNamee has a very bright future in Wiltshire, despite the wide man’s expected absence from Town’s starting line-up for the fourth consecutive game this weekend.

As Swindon take on Southend at the County Ground tomorrow, the diminutive former Watford winger will more than likely take up a place on the substitutes’ bench - somewhere he has spent far too much of his fledgling career.

McNamee became an instant fans’ favourite after signing from Watford in January 2008 and his performances in the second half of last season pointed to a bright Town career.

However, this campaign the 24-year-old has been largely a shadow of his former self, and Wilson brought in fellow left-sided player Hal Robson-Kanu on loan from Reading last month who has taken McNamee’s berth in the starting line-up.

“It’s difficult when you’re lacking confidence for that flair player to excel,” admitted Wilson.

“You’ll see Anthony come again when the team settles itself and it starts getting some solid and strong results, and everybody’s comfortable in what they are doing. That’s when he will come and flourish - I am absolutely certain about that.

“You can’t expect somebody of his talent and his flair to go and do something when you’re 2-0 or 3-0 down.

“You want him at the vital times when you know you’re solid, can give him the ball and he will go and do something out of this world for you.”

After the 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield last month, Wilson claimed that some of his younger players needed to be “taken out of the firing line” in order to protect them.

And the manager admitted: “It was aimed at Anthony.

“I’ve been at clubs lots of times before where a young talent comes through and everybody thinks they are fantastic. Then all hopes and expectations are on the shoulders of the poor lad and they’ve never handled it before.

“All of a sudden they can’t understand why people are pinning them down and marking them, or they can’t get a kick and people are booting them.

“Although the kids can’t admit it, the expectation level of fans becomes very difficult for them.

“They sometimes need a little rest where they can step back and look at the bigger picture. Hopefully he’ll come back nice and fresh and into a side where there’s a bit more confidence.”

  • GOALKEEPER Peter Brezovan is almost back at the top of his game - that is the verdict of Swindon boss Danny Wilson.

The Slovakian has been the first choice stopper since Wilson’s arrival over Christmas, and has repaid his manager’s faith with some superb recent performances at Huddersfield and Oldham.

Wilson has now urged the 29-year-old to produce his top form consistently, but believes his displays are installing some new-found confidence throughout the Town side.

“Peter Brezovan has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of games and is back to what everybody thought he was going to be - a terrific goalkeeper,” revealed Wilson.

“That in itself is a major boost for the defenders in front of him with the presence and ability that he’s got.

“He maybe had a little lack of confidence for whatever reason. Goalkeepers conceding goals will always look at their own game first and foremost.

“But I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him here yet consistently.

“It’s about getting that confidence back and then the performances week in, week out. You don’t want a great performance one week and a disappointing one the next. You need some equilibrium over the course of the season.”